Coast Guard medevacs 2 after boat crashes into Galveston North Jetty

A Coast Guard Station Galveston 45-foot Response Boat — Medium boatcrew arrives on scene to help locate and rescue two menas.(U.S. Coast Guard photo by Station Galveston)

HOUSTON — Coast Guard helicopter and boat crews rescued two men after they ran aground on the Galveston North Jetty Monday morning, ejecting one of the men and injuring both.

A nearby fisherman heard the 20-foot-boat crash and notified watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston at about 1:30 a.m.

“This is a prime example that if you see something happen, report it. The two good Samaritans were vital in assisting and reporting,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Kathryn Carlin, who assisted in the rescues from Coast Guard Station Galveston. “If they hadn’t reported it, we would have never known.”

Coast Guard Station Galveston launched two response boats and located the men. Both men suffered multiple lacerations. It was reported that one man had a broken arm and the other man had a broken leg.

Three crewmen and two good Samaritans administered first aid while waiting for a Coast Guard Air Station Houston MH-65 Dolphin aircrew to medevac the men. The aircrew hoisted the men and met EMS at Scholes International Airport at Galveston. They were taken toUTMB Galveston for treatment.

“I’m pretty happy two people are going home to their kids,” said Carlin.

Carlin was in waste deep water working with the helicopter’s rescue swimmer to balance the hoist basket on rocks to safely recover the men.